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In My Own Words - Glyn Jones, M.A.Sc., P.Eng., CIH, CRSP

Glyn Jones, M.A.Sc, P.Eng, CIH, CRSP

With respect to seeking my CRSP, you could say I am a “late bloomer.” I started my career as a safety professional in 1986 but did not seek certification as a CRSP until 2005. I wanted to share my motivations for obtaining the CRSP, and the benefits received as a result of obtaining it and maintaining it.

I am a Chemical Engineer by training and I completed a Master’s degree in 1986 specializing in occupational health and safety with a focus in process safety. In 1988, I obtained my P.Eng. (Professional Engineer) and started work as an occupational health and safety consultant. In 1995, I obtained my CIH (Certified Industrial Hygienist). To be honest, it never occurred to that I needed any further qualifications, certifications, or designations to advance my practice as a consulting occupational health and safety professional.

Sometime in the early 2000's, I started to notice that many of our clients were CRSP's. At that time, I was not a CRSP, and it was not that my credentials were deemed inadequate without a CRSP, it was just that clients that were CRSP's looked to me to have a CRSP as a mark of technical competence with the capacity to deliver service excellence. So in 2005, I sat down and studied and wrote the exam to obtain my CRSP.

The CRSP is in my view the critical certification to hold for any occupational health and safety professional. The CRSP has been the standard-bearer for occupational health and safety professional certifications for over 40 years. This qualification also includes a formal assessment of competency. The Board of Canadian Registered Safety Professionals (BCRSP) has developed it based on an established body of knowledge that makes up the safety profession. Further, the BCRSP ensures that continuing education requirements are met for all certificate holders such that they keep up to date on their knowledge and capacity to serve employers and the profession.

The reason for obtaining and maintaining my CRSP is simply so I can proudly say I am a CRSP. Being a CRSP says lots about who I am and the ethical framework within which all CRSP's operate. In addition, and perhaps most importantly, being able to say I am CRSP and be part of this cohort of professionals, is an invaluable descriptor of what I am able to do to serve employers and the community of employees in general.